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Larry Brinker Jr.

President and Chief Executive OfficerBRINKER

Detroit, MI

Member Since October 2022

Skills

Leadership
Investment Stategy
Community Building

About

Larry Brinker Jr. is an award-winning entrepreneur, impact investor, and mentor. He serves as Chief Executive Officer of Brinker, a group of family-owned and operated commercial construction service companies responsible for over $4 billion in construction projects, which plays a critical role in the transformation and revitalization of Detroit. Recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business 40 Under 40 and Detroit Business Magazine’s 30 In Their 30’s, Brinker Jr.’s success has earned him the Next Generation Entrepreneur Award from the National Business League in 2017, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2018, and a subsequent position as a national judge for the annual award. He received the University of Michigan Alumni Merit Award in 2022. In addition to his leadership in the construction services industry, Brinker Jr. is a mission-driven investor aspiring to impact the community through entrepreneurial development programs, philanthropy, and technology. In 2021 he co-founded Capsa Money, Inc., a banking model providing the underbanked with better access to essential financial services. He is also an early investor in the Air Company, a carbon technology company combating climate change by transforming CO2 emissions into products like sanitizers, vodka, fragrances, and jet fuel. On the philanthropic side, Brinker Jr. has established multiple scholarships, including a COVID-19 Legacy Survivor Scholarship fund.

Published content

17 ideas to express employee appreciation during the holidays

expert panel

Are your traditional gift-giving gestures getting stale? The holiday season is the perfect time to spread more cheer by demonstrating to your dedicated employees how much you appreciate their efforts to help keep a well-organized business up and running. If your leadership team is all tapped out of original gift-giving ideas for their team this year, then try one of the following ideas that 17 experts from Fast Company Executive Board highly recommend to show gratitude for the hard work their staff members continue to put in throughout the year. 

Here's what to do next if your KPIs are still falling short

expert panel

How do you measure the effectiveness of company initiatives and when should you switch gears? When a company's C-suite or department managers are highly invested in a new initiative to improve on a specific key performance indicator, it can be disheartening if the measurements fail to show positive results in the early stages of the plan.  It's important to give it some time and careful thought before throwing in the towel, but if the pace doesn't pick up based on the goals you and your team have set, eventually you'll have to pivot and come up with a different strategy if you don't have one in mind already. Below, 10 experts from Fast Company Executive Board weigh in on their best tips for moving forward when the original plans are underperforming.

Have you strained your business relations with senior management?

expert panel

10 ways to bridge the communication gap (and restore trust) between department leaders and company heads. It takes a village to raise a company's success level in the marketplace. That is why it is necessary for teams to depend on each other whether the business is up or down, so they can stay in sync and keep the operation running smoothly. Building stronger relationships at work plays a key factor and can boost morale, which in turn, can boost productivity and encourage leadership and teams to collaborate effectively at all times. Below, 10 Fast Company Executive Board members each offer one tip to help department managers and company founders or owners develop and maintain trusting relationships with one another. 

16 ways to prepare for the next holiday campaign

expert panel

If you are just starting to think about your marking strategy, you're already behind—but it's not too late. The holiday season can be extremely competitive when it comes to attracting the attention of hesitant consumers. This is an ever-increasing dilemma in today's uncertain economy. In order to stand out, the company leaders must analyze the market trends carefully in order to provide the right solutions to potential and current customers. They also need to be flexible enough to change direction if a campaign isn't landing well.  Here, 16 experts from Fast Company Executive Board each share their tips to finalize and implement marketing and sales strategies for the upcoming holiday season that will help companies stay ahead in the marketplace.

18 executives discuss their professional drive and determination

expert panel

What inspired your career path? There are a variety of reasons why people choose to go into business or become interested in a specific career industry sector. Some would say that the key to finding your calling is to do what you love or pursue an area where your skills can truly make a difference in the lives of others. Here, 18 business leaders from Fast Company Executive Board weigh in on what inspired them to seek and maintain their current position as a professional in their succeeding organizations.

How do you become successful in business? 

expert panel

Keep your eyes on the prize by applying these 18 tips. While success is attainable at various levels in a person's career, it doesn't just happen overnight—you have to work for it. You may even hit some bumps in the road along your journey, but any thought leader who has been in the game for a long time knows that business challenges and even failures are simply a part of the learning process.  Here, 18 Fast Company Executive Board members offer their advice to other professionals who are trying to reach their short-term goals of the moment—both professional and personal.

Company details

BRINKER

Company bio

Brinker Group is made up of L.S. Brinker, Brinker Team Construction, City Carpet and Flooring, Universal Glass and Metals, and Edgewood Electric. All share the Brinker values of strong communication, unconditional support and strength of community. Five individual companies that together are uniquely positioned to offer more. With over 30 years of transforming our company and our home City of Detroit, we continue to grow our capabilities and pave the way for smaller diverse companies to stand on their own. From developing the downtown and designing urban areas, to constructing new spaces and renovating historical buildings, we’re able to take on projects of all scopes and complexities and we’ve had great results.

Industry

Corporate leadership

Area of focus

Construction
Communities
Industrial